Process, ( question )

[Radio_bored-Op]

Hey, say if a small town station, say 150 - 250 + miles outside
of where a pro sports team plays the designated home games,
wants to add that team to the programming schedule,
to join "the ______ - radio network"

-well, how does that work?

i have some understanding of what (LOCAL/even "regional") stations
are obligated to do, if they want EXCLUSIVE(in town) broadcast rights,
coverage,etc, but again, this is for a station that
wants to be a part of the network, many hours/miles away...

-just asking,
that is why i luv this forum!! thx guys & gals!

 

[radioman1380]

Most of the time it's up to the network provider to determine, based upon their criteria, as to whether a station can be considered an affiliate. A station's coverage area or city of license in relationship to another station carrying a team doesn't, necessarily, mean it is eliminated from being a network affiliate. There are many stations whose signals overlap that still carry the same teams. Determination could be based upon a certain radius from the community of license, the primary station coverage area or any number of criteria. It just so happens that in my market there is both a 50k and 100k FM that carry the same broadcast of a college team. In this case, the university allows anyone who pays the fee to broadcast the games. There are times, as well, when a station may take the affiliation away from another in a market by offering to provide more that the current station. As in the case where the hopeful new affiliate can carry all games, rather than a few select games by the current affiliate. What is boils down to is that the station needs to contact the team or whomever is responsible for handling game broadcast affiliations and see if the station would/could be considered as an affiliate. Plus, as I mentioned, there could be fees associated with carrying the games, so the stations must also determine whether they are able to get a return on their investment by selling game sponsorships.

What comes to mind is the old set-up with the St. Louis Cardinals when they were on KMOX. The KMOX signal covered a large area, but there were stations within that coverage area that were Cardinal affiliates.

I know my answer was quite lengthy, but I hope it answers your question. Maybe someone else has some additional thoughts.

 

[quadraphonic]

Call the team, man. They will tell you how much it costs (arm/leg/etc.).

Two stations here in NC were doing NY Yankees games last year, so it can't be all that unheard of.
Actually come to think of it, every baseball team is 200 miles away and we used to have the Braves and Orioles and Reds when I was a kid on some times, so it is even less rare than I thought a second ago....